Vegan Air fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

These delicious vegan air fryer buffalo cauliflower "wings" are our game day favorites. They are vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and packed with bold flavors. Not to mention they are golden crispy and coated in buttery hot sauce, just like traditional chicken wings.

Even though my family and I are not vegans nor have gluten allergies, we do appreciate delicious vegan and gluten-free recipes. To us, healthy eating is about a balanced diet. It isn't about eliminating or restricting, but rather balance what you consume. And as true foodies, as long as it is delicious, we are in.

If you never had cauliflower "wings" before, they are healthy alternatives to your chicken wings. While they do not taste exactly like your traditional chicken wings, they have a nice crispy outside with a moist and tender inside. Now, don't get me wrong. My family loves good crispy air fryer chicken wings, but these air fryer cauliflower wings are just as satisfying. Some days we even prefer air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings more because they are less greasy and as satisfying.

What you will need to make these Vegan air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings

Air Fryer

I love using my air fryer to make these air fryer cauliflower wings. It can create a nice golden crispy outer layer while having a moist inside fairly quickly.

If you don't have an air fryer, you can still make these buffalo cauliflower wings by pan-frying, skillet, or baking. Either options would require some oil for frying and creating that crispy texture on the outside. 

Head Of Cauliflower

To make these air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, you will need one head of fresh cauliflower. You can use either variety of cauliflower. I used the white variety for this recipe.

If your cauliflower has some brown spots, you may still be able to use your cauliflower head. The brown spots are caused by oxidation, and you can remove them by either cutting or scraping it off.

Buffalo Sauce

To make air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, you need a good buffalo sauce. But if you are not a buffalo sauce fan, you can still make this air fryer cauliflower recipe and use other sauces. Sauce like teriyaki or sweet and sour, orange, etc. it all works for this air fryer cauliflower recipe.

For the buffalo sauce, I recommend using either:

Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce

This buffalo sauce is ketogenic, paleo, whole 30, gluten-free, and vegan friendly. It is also sugar, soy, dairy, and grain-free!

Tessemae's Buffalo Sauce

This buffalo sauce is also ketogenic, paleo, whole 30, gluten-free, and vegan friendly. It contains no added sugar, dairy-free, and grain-free.

Flour

You can use either all-purpose flour or oat flour (gluten-free option). These are my two favorite types of flour to you. You can use coconut flour or nut flour, and they will add some nuttiness to your air fryer cauliflower wings.

How To Make Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings

To make these dangerously delicious air fryer cauliflower wings, you will need to make two mixtures: one wet mixture and one dry coating.

For the wet mixture, you want to whisk your buffalo sauce with a touch of flour. This will help thicken the mixture and help the dry mixture to stick to the cauliflower florets and form a coating. To get that crispy outside, you will need to dip the cauliflower florets into the wet mixture, then dry, and then back into the wet mixture. If you like a nice layer, you can repeat this process 2-3 times and then start your air frying them.

why you will love this Vegan air fryer cauliflower recipe

• To make this recipe, you only need five ingredients!
• This air fryer cauliflower recipe is vegan-friendly and gluten-free (if you use oat flour)!
• Quick and easy air fryer cauliflower recipe that you can make under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

1 Head Fresh Cauliflower
1 cup Buffalo Sauce
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon Oat Flour
1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs
Parsley Garnish

Directions

1. Slice your cauliflower head in half and cut it into cauliflower florets or drumstick-like pieces.
2. In a bowl, add buffalo sauce with a tablespoon of oat flour. Whisk until smooth. If your buffalo sauce is still pretty runny, you can add a touch more of the flour. We are looking for an egg-like consistency.
3. In a separate bowl, mix oat flour and panko together.
4. Dip the cauliflower florets into the wet mixture, then in the dry mix, and then back into the wet mix. Shake off all excess, and then place it in your air fryer basket.
5. Repeat until your air fryer basket is full. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook in two batches. If you have a large air fryer basket, you may be able to fit it all in one batch.
6. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then give your basket a good shake or flip. Then cook for another 8-10 minutes depending on the size of cauliflower you cut.
7. Once your air fryer cauliflowers are done, remove into a bowl or plate and drizzle some buffalo sauce on top and chopped parsley.
8. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes

To make the air fryer cauliflower wings in the oven, bake for 15 minutes at 450F. 

To make the air fryer cauliflower wings in the oven, bake for 15 minutes at 450F. 

• The single-layer coating can be a little flakey and fall off easily. You can dip the cauliflower florets into the two mixture back and forth two to three times for a more robust coating. If you are watching your carb level, a single layer is just as delicious, and be careful when removing out of the air fryer basket.
• If you are not a vegan, you can use eggs instead of adding flour to the buffalo sauce.
• Gluten-free option- To make gluten-free air fryer cauliflower wings, opt-in for oat flour or nut flour.
• Making these buffalo cauliflower wings can get a little messy and you will need to clean them after use. If you are unsure how, read here. 
• Avoid overcrowding and stacking your air fryer basket. Overcrowding can cause your cauliflower wings to be soggy. And stacking will cause your air fryer cauliflower wings to air fry unevenly.
• To make the air fryer cauliflower wings in the oven, bake for 15 minutes at 450F. 
  

Nutritional

Yield:  4 Serving

Amount per serving: Calories: 360 calories. Total Fat: 26.3g, Saturated Fat 4.6g. Cholesterol: 0mg. Sodium: 999mg. Total Carbohydrate: 29g. Dietary fiber: 4.5g. Total Sugar: 2.4g. Protein: 6.1g.

**The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.**

How To Store Leftovers

These air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings taste the best when they just came out of the air fryer. If you are unable to finish it, you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days.

To reheat it, place back the air-fried cauliflower wings and heat it at 400 F for about 10 minutes or place them in the oven.

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